


The Orchid Child

by Asami_T



Series: Asami's One-Shots [9]
Category: Ranma 1/2
Genre: AU of another AU, Gen, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 10:31:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14423508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asami_T/pseuds/Asami_T
Summary: Written as an exercise, the first couple scenes from Genma's Daughter are written with a different lens.





	The Orchid Child

**Author's Note:**

> Because I've experiencing a bit of writers block w/ A Different Dojo, I decided to break off to write this; this is an AU of the famous Ranma 1/2 fanfiction "Genma's Daughter". I have some personal issues w/ that fic, largely relating to how Ranma/Ranko reacts to the idea that they're a girl. The original fic takes it in, at least in my view, a problematic direction. With an increased consciousness in 2018 about transgender identity, non-binary identity and other things, I present to you--The Orchid Child.

Ranma Saotome stalked down the streets of Tokyo by herself, frustrated beyond belief at her current state of affairs. Soaked to the bone in cold water, she had been dealing with a gauntlet of rivals today that she hadn’t wanted anything to do with. If it wasn’t Mousse proclaiming his eternal love for Shampoo and assaulting her with hidden weapons, it was Kuno proclaiming his eternal love for the pigtailed girl or Shampoo nearly flattening her with a bicycle.

She turned to see Kuno launching an assault in an attempt to cop a feel, and after a brief dodge, Kuno went flying out of the ward completely complements of Ranma’s foot.

She was already having a shitty day, dealing with the constant dysphoria of flip-flopping sexes, but being strung along by all these idiots didn’t help either. Forgoing the front door of the Tendou Dojo, she flung herself over the fence, landing in the grassy yard near the koi pond. Her father was laying in the grass by the pond fanning himself, nervously looking between her and some lady sitting at the table talking to Akane’s dad.

Deciding not to be involved in whatever bullshit was going on today, Ranma made her way to the stairs.

“Ranko?”

Ranma continued climbing the stairs, ignoring the woman in question.

“Ranko?” The trembling female voice asked again. Ranma gripped the stairwell tightly and swung around to glare at the woman. Her anger wilted at the look on the woman’s face, and Ranma could see out of the corner of her eye, the panda signing to ignore the woman completely.

“I’m sorry, lady. My name ain’t Ranko, It’s Ranma.” She said, wilting even more so under the stares of pretty much everybody in the room.

The woman peered at Ranma in thought before speaking again. “Are you the daughter of Saotome Genma?”

Ranma frowned some. _“Yes, I am!”_ was what Ranma _wanted_ to say, but she’d learned a long time ago that such things were not to be mentioned, at least… that’s what her father had told her.

“Well, yeah… I’m his kid, I guess.” Ranma finally settled on, obviously uncertain and deeply uncomfortable with the line of questioning.

The woman suddenly bear-hugged Ranma, Ranma tensing up in surprise at the sudden contact. It was strangely comfortable, yet still awkward at how sudden it had been.

“Umm,” Ranma said quietly, trying to break the hug. “Do I know you? Did my Pops promise I’d marry your son, or something?”

The woman gave her a strange look and gently cupped Ranma’s chin. She said quietly, “Don’t you remember me?”

Ranma looked through her memories and shook her head in the negative.

Hurt filled the woman’s features and she sniffled quietly. She stared into Ranma’s eyes and said, “My name is Saotome Nodoka, Ranko. I’m your mother.”

Ranma was suddenly filled with a mixture of emotion she had no idea how to label. Anger at her father, surprise, horror and… happiness. Struggling to comprehend, she weakly muttered, “Mother?”, before she was wrapped up in a hug again.

This time it felt good. Her mother showered her with kisses and kept her tightly wrapped up in a hug. Releasing her but only to arm’s length, Nodoka proclaimed with pride, “Finally, after twelve long years, finally I’ve found you, my daughter.” Ranma felt her mother’s fingers gently combing her hair quietly.

 _Daughter._ _Daughter?_

“Daughter? Don’t you mean… son?”

The look of curiosity and confusion on Nodoka’s face was another jolt to Ranma’s chest. “Ranko, you’re my only child. Of course I mean daughter!”

_What the fuck!? No way, that’s impossible!_

“No, that’s not possible, I’m a guy!”

“Ranko, that is not funny and no way for any daughter of mine to talk.”

“But _I’m a guy!_ ”

Nodoka’s eyes widened and she whispered, “She’s not joking, Genma, what did you do?”

Ranma yanked away from Nodoka and attempted to bolt, but didn’t get far. She slammed head first into Akane, tumbling onto the ground, rubbing her head in frustration. Ignoring Akane’s complaining about being run into, Ranma stumbled out of the gate and took off into the night. Her feet carried her dumbly, without much regard for where she was going–she prayed she could harness Ryouga’s navigational curse for just a few minutes, to get as far from this woman as she could muster.

She arrived at one of Nerima’s many parks, and sat down hard on a small wooden bench. Clutching her head in her hands, confusion raged dominant over all other emotions. She already had a hard enough time with her identity and being herself, and then this woman shows up, calls her a new name that _isn’t hers_ , and insists that Ranma is actually her daughter.

“What kind of sick joke are they trying on me,” Ranma muttered to herself. She hadn’t told a soul about her feelings, and now it’s as if the kami themselves had dropped opportunity straight into her lap. Sighing to herself, she watched the lapping waves of the nearby lake, lost deep in her own thoughts.

“Hey, you.” A female voice called out, and Ranma looked up to see Ukyou Kuonji standing, her hands folded into her pockets. “Akane called me, and said you were havin’ some issues, and that’d you’d bolted from the Tendou dojo. I figured you’d end up here.”

“How could you possibly have known that?”

“Largest park in the ward, and you stand out in a crowd with your red hair, honey.”

“Fair enough. What’s up, Ukyou?”

“Well, tell me about what happened back home,” She said, sitting down on the bench next to Ranma.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Ranma frowned and turned away from her, making Ukyou frown.

“I can try to understand, sugar. I know we’ve had our problems, but you are my friend, are you not?” She asked, and Ranma sighed.

“Yeah, I am… but the problem isn’t that, so much as it is I don’t know how ta explain it.” Ranma said quietly, shaking her head. “It’s like… kinda… _fuck_. I dunno. Like nothing is right. Like nothing about me is put together in the way I want it. Like… I dunno, a TV signal that’s all scrambled up? Or somethin’ like it?”

“You feel out of place?” Ukyou asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I guess, yeah, kinda– I always kinda knew something was a little off about bein’ myself? I’m honestly more happy and comfortable like this than I am under my real form. I never told anyone this, but I find it difficult to be a guy. Like, taxing. To be a man among men like my Pops always wanted me to be; but every time I look at myself in the mirror, I see this,” she waved to herself, indicating she was talking about her face, chest and hips. “And I realize that I’d rather look like this,”

“You do?” Ukyou asked pensively.

“Yeah! So you know, it’s confusin’! I’m already freaked the hell out about the way my curse feels, and then this lady shows up, claimin’ she’s my mom and says I’m her daughter. It’s like a cruel joke or some shit,” Ranma said, slapping her head with the palm of her hand. “It’s just not fair…” She trailed off.

Ukyou sat quietly in contemplation before sighing. “Either way, Ranma,” She said, gently rubbing his shoulder. “running from your issues isn’t the answer. So what if you’re actually a girl, does that mean you have to abandon everything, become an O.L. and pop babies out for the good of Japan?”

“No, fuck that!” Ranma seemed indignant about the idea, and Ukyou hugged her.

“Exactly. You’re the master of your own person. Look at me,” she shrugged and gestured at herself. “I’m the biggest tomboy you’ll ever meet to the point where I walk around in a gakuran instead of a dress. Doesn’t mean I’m not who I am, just that I prefer expressing this way. Who knows, you may find you enjoy some things that you’ve never had a chance to enjoy before.”

“Hmpf,” Ranma said, folding her arms underneath her chest.

“You know I’m right, that’s why you’re pouting,” Ukyou said, gently poking Ranma’s face.

“Fine, would you come back with me?” Ranma asked quietly, and Ukyou sighed. She checked her watch before nodding.

“Of course, Ranma,” Ukyou said with a smile.


End file.
